Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research

Charlotte Gohr; Jorge Gustavo Rodríguez Aboytes; Sergey Belomestnykh; Dagmar Berg-Moelleken; Neha Chauhan; John-Oliver Engler; Linda von Heydebreck; Marie J. Hintz; Max-Friedemann Kretschmer; Carlo Krügermeier; Jule Meinberg; Anna-Lena Rau; Christoph Schwenck; Iman Aoulkadi; Sabrina Poll; Elisabeth Frank; Felix Creutzig; Oska Lemke; M. Maushart; Jannis Pfendtner-Heise; Julius Rathgens; Henrik von Wehrden

doi:10.1038/s41893-025-01598-6

Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research

Charlotte Gohr^*
, Jorge Gustavo Rodríguez Aboytes^*
, Sergey Belomestnykh
, Dagmar Berg-Moelleken
, Neha Chauhan
, John-Oliver Engler
, Linda von Heydebreck
, Marie J. Hintz
, Max-Friedemann Kretschmer
, Carlo Krügermeier
, Jule Meinberg
, Anna-Lena Rau
, Christoph Schwenck
, Iman Aoulkadi
, Sabrina Poll
, Elisabeth Frank
, Felix Creutzig
, Oska Lemke
, M. Maushart
, Jannis Pfendtner-Heise

Julius Rathgens, Henrik von Wehrden

^*Korrespondierende/r Autor/-in für diese Arbeit

Publikation: Beiträge in Zeitschriften › Zeitschriftenaufsätze › Forschung › Begutachtung

14 Zitate (Scopus)

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant potential to advance Sustainable Development Goals by enabling data-driven insights and optimizations. In this analysis, we review 792 articles that explore AI applications in Sustainable Development Goal-related research. The literature is organized along two dimensions: (1) the disciplinary spectrum, from natural sciences to the humanities, and (2) the focus, distinguishing economic from socioecological content. Deep learning and supervised machine learning were the most prominently applied algorithms for forecasting and system optimization. However, we identify a critical gap: only a few studies combine advanced AI applications with deep sustainability expertise. Sustainability needs to strike a balance between contextualization and generalizability to provide tangible knowledge that will lead to responsible change. AI must play a central role in this process. While expectations for AI’s transformative role in sustainable development are high, its full potential remains to be realized.

Originalsprache	Englisch
Zeitschrift	Nature Sustainability
Jahrgang	8
Ausgabenummer	8
Seiten (von - bis)	970-978
Seitenumfang	9
ISSN	2398-9629
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01598-6
Publikationsstatus	Erschienen - 08.2025

Bibliographische Notiz

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.

UN SDGs

Dieser Output leistet einen Beitrag zu folgendem(n) Ziel(en) für nachhaltige Entwicklung

SDG 7 – Erschwingliche und saubere Energie
SDG 11 – Nachhaltige Städte und Gemeinschaften

Fachgebiete und Schlagwörter

Nachhaltigkeits-Governance
Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaft
Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Globaler Wandel
Lebensmittelwissenschaften
Geografie, Planung und Entwicklung
Ökologie
Erneuerbare Energien, Nachhaltigkeit und Umwelt
Urban studies
Natur- und Landschaftsschutz
Management, Monitoring, Politik und Recht

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10.1038/s41893-025-01598-6Lizenz: CC BY

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Gohr, C., Rodríguez Aboytes, J. G., Belomestnykh, S., Berg-Moelleken, D., Chauhan, N., Engler, J.-O., von Heydebreck, L., Hintz, M. J., Kretschmer, M.-F., Krügermeier, C., Meinberg, J., Rau, A.-L., Schwenck, C., Aoulkadi, I., Poll, S., Frank, E., Creutzig, F., Lemke, O., Maushart, M., ... von Wehrden, H. (2025). Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research. Nature Sustainability, 8(8), 970-978. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01598-6

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doi = "10.1038/s41893-025-01598-6",

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Gohr, C, Rodríguez Aboytes, JG, Belomestnykh, S, Berg-Moelleken, D, Chauhan, N , Engler, J-O, von Heydebreck, L, Hintz, MJ, Kretschmer, M-F, Krügermeier, C, Meinberg, J, Rau, A-L, Schwenck, C, Aoulkadi, I, Poll, S, Frank, E, Creutzig, F, Lemke, O, Maushart, M, Pfendtner-Heise, J, Rathgens, J & von Wehrden, H 2025, 'Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research', Nature Sustainability, Jg. 8, Nr. 8, S. 970-978. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-025-01598-6

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AU - Engler, John-Oliver

AU - von Heydebreck, Linda

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AU - Meinberg, Jule

AU - Rau, Anna-Lena

AU - Schwenck, Christoph

AU - Aoulkadi, Iman

AU - Poll, Sabrina

AU - Frank, Elisabeth

AU - Creutzig, Felix

AU - Lemke, Oska

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AU - Rathgens, Julius

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SP - 970

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JF - Nature Sustainability

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ER -

Artificial intelligence in sustainable development research

Abstract

Bibliographische Notiz

UN SDGs

Fachgebiete und Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

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